Remember horse’s dietary requirements differ from season to season: more feed, especially good quality hay, is necessary in the winter to maintain body condition and for heat generation.

Problems can be caused by fast growing grass in spring which has a very high sugar content , therefore gradually adapt horses to lush green pasture.

Remove weeds growing in paddocks and pastures as most of them are toxic and can cause colic and secondary side effects.

Free choice salt / adding salt to diet is advisable as each horse’s needs may differ.

The addition of extra minerals and vitamins should not be necessary when using Epol feeds, as a complete vitamin and mineral premix is an essential element in all the horse feeds.

Good quality hay should be the foundation of the diet for horses at rest, in light to medium work, and breeding stock:

Recommended ratios of roughage to concentrates:

Work level

Hay

Concentrates

Resting / Maintenance

100

0

Light

75

25

Medium

60

40

Hard

40

60

Fast

30 (minimum)

70

POLO

Polo ponies have, apart from racehorses, a more strenuous and intense working career than most other sport horses. They generally have to be kept fit for about 8 months of the year.

The major challenge when feeding polo ponies is to provide medium to high energy muscle fuel, but preventing ‘tying up’. Energy is needed to fuel and replace muscle glycogen, protein is all-important in rebuilding damaged muscles, and both nutrients in combination with fat are necessary to maintain well muscled, fit body condition as well as fuel muscle energy stores and reserves.

During the season, polo ponies need a 14% protein feed. Choose an Epol ration that meets the needs of each individual horse, taking into account the horse’s body condition, temperament, age as well as its work load, e.g. Epol Competition or Gold Cup cubes. Blends such as Rider cubes/meal/muesli or Endurance cubes and Millard cubes can also be considered. For horses requiring more energy Epol Mdk SpeedMax can be fed as part of concentrate total intake.

Provide good quality hay ad lib as well as free access to clean water. This will not only keep the horse’s digestive system healthy, but also combat boredom that might lead to vices. In horses prone to stress and suffering from stomach ulcers, lucerne hay can be included in the hay mix for its gastric acid buffering effect.Recommended feeding rates:

The eye of the master remains the best judge – feed each horse as an individual according to body mass and workload.